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Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

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Sunday, November 7, 2010

A well loved casserole of broccoli, rice and cheese, uses canned cheddar cheese soup and cream of mushroom for the sauce and is topped with your favorite shredded cheese.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Cheese

Broccoli casseroles, whether alone with cheese, with chicken, or like here with rice and cheese, have been a favorite casserole for potlucks, church suppers, family gatherings and especially holidays for as long as I can remember. Many people like to include Cheez Whiz in their broccoli and rice casserole and certainly you can use that, or even our southern favorite Velveeta as well, but I like to use the canned cheddar cheese soup from Campbell's. It's a pantry staple in my house and is an easy addition. Feel free to sub either of those ingredients if you prefer, or simply increase the amount of shredded cheddar to 2 cups, dividing it as noted in the recipe.

Back when I posted my variation of Trisha Yearwood's layered Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole, I mentioned the more common versions of broccoli and rice recipes out in the world - cooked rice, cooked broccoli, cream of something soup and a few seasonings, all mixed together, turned out into a baking dish, sprinkled with cheese or a crumb topping and baked. While it's pretty standard to everybody else's versions, here's the way I do my basic broccoli and rice casserole - with cheese too, of course!

I love garlic with broccoli, and of course y'all know I'm gonna include some of my favorite Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, but if you don't adore either of those, feel free to omit them. Unless you are using the Healthy Request, lower sodium versions of Campbell's soups, you likely will not need any additional salt. As always, taste and adjust!

This casserole serves somewhere between 4 and 6 as a side dish, depending on appetites. If you're making this for the holidays, double and bake in an oblong 9 x 13 inch casserole or large baking dish. Broccoli and Rice Casserole is a gooey, creamy, cheesy, super yummy well loved casserole that has been a holiday favorite for years ... but remember, it's also a great side dish to grace your table any time of the year.

Here's how to make it.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Place broccoli in a microwave safe bowl, add about 1 tablespoon of water, cover and microwave about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and roughly chop, if needed. Can also parboil or steam broccoli just until barely fork tender but with a bit of bite, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet and saute the onion and celery over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the two cans of soup and mix until well blended; add the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, rice and chopped broccoli. Stir gently until combined, taste and adjust seasonings. Turn out into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to the oven uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Cook's Notes: Serves between 4 and 6 as a side dish, depending on appetites, so double for the holidays or for potlucks. If you prefer, omit the cheddar cheese soup and increase grated cheddar to 2 cups, dividing as noted in the recipe. May substitute a large jar of Cheez Whiz or 1/2 pound cubed Velveeta for the shredded cheese. Substitute 4 cups of frozen broccoli florets, cooked and chopped, or about 1 large bunch of raw broccoli, trimmed, chopped and pre-cooked.

Optional toppings: Sliced, hard boiled eggs, French fried onions, Ritz crackers mixed with melted butter, panko or regular bread crumbs, or sliced almonds. Can be used in a layer under the cheese, or in place of the cheese.

Tip: To make this a main dish meal, stir in 2-3 cups of chopped, cooked chicken with the broccoli.

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54 comments:

I used to make that brocolli rice casserole all...the...time! It's delicious. I think my recipe calls for Cheese Whiz. I love your version with the cajun twist to it. I do believe you may find it on my holiday table. Thanks for sending along this recipe.

Ok, this has to be my all-time favorite comfort food (after homemade chicken noodle soup)! I feel like I say that to almost everything you post, but I'm in love! I haven't tried it with cheddar cheese soup, thanks for the idea :)

Every time I read about broccoli and rice casserole I can only think of something my wife did way back when we were just friends and coworkers some 20 years ago. She made broccoli and rice casserole for a work function but mistook a bunch of celery for one stalk. Yes, an entire bunch of celery. Yes. You get the picture;) We still laugh about that one.

Mary this looks so scrumptious! I am adding this to ones to try. I am helping a young woman who never learned to cook. We meet each Wednesday and cook together. She has been feeding her family frozen "junk" for a long time. She decides by Tuesday what she wants to make...calls me from the grocery store for a list of ingredients and we cook the next day! I am giving her some of my old tried and true recipes and will be using some of yours too! Thanks for being here....I really appreciate it! Looking forward to some sides for turkey day from you!

Hey Larry! Yeah, it's an optical illusion LOL. Put some on, bake, then top off with the rest!

LOL Stephanie, I think you're thinking of the squirt stuff? CW is the jar version, sort of like Velveeta in a jar.

Serene, good stuff huh?

FloridaGirl, if it works for you let me know. I can't manage to get my husband to touch broccoli. More for me!

Oh Chris I think we all experienced something like that!

Shannon, I'd say that it's time to make some!

Thanks Auntie E! You're a sweetheart.

Wileyfamilyof5, welcome! I will stop by for a visit indeed!!

Debbie, that is so admirable, but why am I not surprised!! I have a bunch of Thanksgiving menu items up - there's a button in the upper left sidebar I just put up. http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2008/01/thanksgiving-recipes.html

I just made your version of this dish last night and OH MY GOODNESS!!! My daughter and I were in love at first taste! Usually my casseroles come out a lil dry, so I was a bit skeptical when I saw that there wasnt much cheese involved but the cream of mushroom and cheddar fixed that! My boyfriend always looks forward to my dishes and I cant't wait for him to try this today! I added this site to my favorites. A definite God Send! Thanks!

My mom always made her broccoli and rice casserole with Jalapeno Cheese Whiz. They discontinued that, too, and I have never found a decent replacement. Aaaargh! i will have to try adding Slap Ya Mama and see if it helps out.

Dear Mary - Wow just wow!!!! My mom used to make broccoli cheese when I was a kid and it's been YEARS since I've had any that was good. I felt like this was a good one to try from the reviews and how I 'felt' about the ingredients and the write up. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was the very first dish to disappear. By request I am making it again now. THANK YOU SO MUCH. If you had a 'like' button I'd be a repeat clicker! :)

Anissa, that repeat clicker comment just gave me a chuckle - I'm smiling ear to ear, can you see? I'm so glad everybody enjoyed the casserole & thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a note - I appreciate that!!

Ok, so this is an update from my post on November 11, my name is Tabitha BTW, and I just have to say that this recipe has become a MAJOR hit. My BF went home for Christmas (we are in Korea) and he told his mother, after eating her broccoli and rice casserole that mine has hers beat! He was like, "sorry mom, my girl got you on this one!" I love, love, love this recipe and I'm about to try your smoked paprika chicken tonight. Can't wait to taste it! Happy New Year! S/N sooo glad I found this wesite!

Hey Nene! I have. My kitchen is so tiny & plus, I've kinda enjoyed not having to do hair & makeup in my retirement & trust me, y'all don't wanna see me on video in my everyday look LOL!! Maybe one day... I have thought about just doing the videos showing food & not me so much. I don't know... something to think about!!!

Oh Mary you are hilarious! This is a great idea, although I'm sure it would be additional hard work as if cooking is not :-) But you'd make a great video host and maybe you could just do some of the more traditional recipes for starters.

This is my daughter's favorite dish of all time. My recipe also calls for Cheez Whiz but the soup would be so much easier to mix in. My daughter made this for a 4H cooking contest (rice category) & baked it in a hollowed out round Italian bread. This is a holiday staple at my house.

This recipe is SUPER easy & SO tasty.I accidentally picked up Campbell's Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic,yummy.Used Mahatma Yellow Rice.I double batched the rice and broccoli only.I highly recommend it and Deep South Dish.Mary has it going on!!!

Mary,thank you,thank you, thank you for making my life so much easier.Plus,for keeping traditional and favored Southern recipes known.I know I come here in search of those.I also hope it temps other to try something they have never tried before.My college roommate introduced me to Chicago Bagels.Totally different than those from the freezer isle ;-) Have a blessed day. :-) <3

Hi Adele! I'm not real big on make ahead & freeze casseroles - I prefer to make the elements a little ahead (like preparing the broccoli and making the rice) and then assemble and bake fresh. To freeze this one, I would prepare the casserole as above, but without cheese topping. Don't bake. Double wrap with heavy duty foil and freeze. When ready to bake, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then remove and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Give it a stir before topping with cheese. Recover casserole and bake; finish as above, checking in the middle to see that it's heated through, before adding the last of the cheese. Hope that helps!

Hi Mary,this dish looks scrumptious and the most appealing looking one I've seen online yet!I was wondering if you think using both the can cheese and cheez whiz would dramatically change the taste? I have them in the pantry and was thinking to mix them in the dish.(I am such a cheese lover!) What do you think?Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon.

Hi Mary, I am going to make your broccoli casserole to take to a potluck Saturday, and since I already have the Velveeta in the frig.,I was wondering if it would work to dice it up, and add it to the mixture, instead of the cheddar cheese, and just use 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup instead of the cheddar cheese? Louise from SC

Made the broccoli rice casserole Saturday for the potluck. I followed your recipe to the letter, and it was fantastic. My sister-in-law was eating it, and she was just bragging on how good it was, and that she didn't know who made it, I told her Mary Forman and me. Mine turned out just like your picture, and I doubled the recipe, and it was all gone. Thanks for sharing such a good recipe, will be using that one forever. Louise B.

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